Deep sea sounder



4 Sheets-Sheet 2. A A. J. COOPER & E. E. WIGZELL.

ELECTRIC REGISTEEING DEEP SEA SOUNDEE.

Patented Sept. l0, 1889.

(No Model.)

r, 5. w b G :C 2 op S2 .n. wd@ n 0 2 F A ...Haunt wo nv W n d R88 W (No Model.)

A. J. COOPER 8a E. E. WIGZE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3. LL.

DTe/110,786.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 4. A. J. COOPER & E. E. WIGZELL. ELECTRIC REGISTEEING DEEP SEA SOUNDEE. No. 410,786. Patented Sept. 10, 1889.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. l

ALFRED J. (DOVER AND EUSTACE E. lVIGZELL, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

ELECTRIC REGISTERING DEEP-SEA SOUNDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 410,786, dated September 410, 1889.

Application filed October 24, 1888.

To all whom, it may con-cern.:

le it known that we, ALFRED JOPLING- CooPEE and EUsTAcn ERNEST WIGZELL, both ot' London,Englaml, subjects of ller Majesty the Queen of Great Britain and Ireland, have linvented Improvementsin Electric Registering Deep-Sea Sounders, of which the following isa specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for ascertainingor sounding the depth of sublnel'- sion of one portion of the appara-tus containing a spring-pressed piston in communication with the hydrostatic pressure of the sea, the results being registered above water bya registering mechanism operated by an intermittent electrical current established between the aforesaid two portions of the said sounding apparatus; and this invention consists in improvements in construction upon a registering deep-sea sounder applied for by us in a prior application, filed November 1.6, 1887, Serial No. 255,350. The improvements are essentially these: The sulnnerged portion of the sounder is contained in a case of such an outline as to offer least hold upon or resist-- ance to the water. The electric intermittent contact therein is inclosed in an independent sealed or water-iight chamber, so as to be protected from the effect ot moisture or water that may possibly penetrate the outer case, such portion ot mechanism as may remain so exposed being' of a character unaiected by moisture. Further, the cap of the submerged portion of the sounder is attached in such a manner as to be secure, and yet readily removed, and so as to make an electrical contact with the interior of the instrument pretected.from the action of moisture. The interlnediate winch for lowering the sounder is constructed in an improved and simplified manner, and a simpler and more convenient registering-instrument is connected thereto.

1n order that our invention may be the better understood, we now proceed to describe the same in relation to the drawings hereunto annexed, reference being had to the letters and figures marked thereon.

Like letters refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

Figure 1, Sheet 1, is a part vert-ical section .equivalent registering-instrument.

through the submerged part of our improved Serial No. 289,043. (No modeld sounder with sand-gripper attached. Fig. 2 :is an under plan ofthe same. Figs. 3, et, and 4 are enlarged details of equivalent intermittent eontact mechanism with sealed or wat-ertight contact-chamber used therein. Fig. 5, Sheet 2, is a vertical enlarged section through the cap-of the said submerged portion of the sounder. Fig. G isa vertical section through a slightly-modified butequivalent form of the submerged portion of our sounder. Fig. 7, Sheet 3, is an elevation, partly in section, of the improved winch by which the sounder is lowered. Fig. S is a detail,'sligl1tly modified, of the sealed or water-tight electrical contact-chamber therein. Fig. J is an equivalent but slightly-modified forn of the pisis adetail of the cable used for the submerged part of the sounder to prevent twisting. Fig. 12 is a perspective view ot' improved registering apparatus contained in a box, together with batteries. Fig. 12 is a detail of a handpunch fitted therein. Fig. 13 is a large-scale detail of the registering-card used therein. Fig. 14 is a frontand Fig. 1l a side elevation of the operating electro-magnet of the registering-instrument. Fig. 15,"Sheet l, is a large-scale side elevation ot' a lmodified but Fig. 1G is au end elevation of the same. Fig. 17 is a plan of the registered card produced therein.

'lo utilize t-he hydrostatic pressure of submersion, we lit a sliding piston A, provided wit-h a cup-leather a, Fig. 1, Sheet 1, or a series of pistons A A,provided with cup-leathers ad to?, Fig. 6, Sheet 2, the two latter facing toward each other and filled at pressure with glycerine or other suitable fluid. Apertures b are providedfor access of the external water thereto, and the piston in its ascending motion reacts against a spring l or springs B B', in which case the second spring 13 is utilized to re-entorce the action of the other spring after a certain dist-ance has been traversed by the rod G, so as to provide high resistance for great depths. 'lhe lower end of the spring B is soldered at b2 to the head of the pist-oncylinder, or to some other part ICO r stem d.

5o mounted on a spring-tongue.

stationary relative to rod C, and the upper end is soldered at b3 to a cap or case b4, provided with an adj listing-screw. b5 in line with rod C. When the rod has by hydrostatic press- 5 ure' been forced upward a certain distance,.

xo C of this piston are provided grooves c, Figs.

1, 3, A4, and 4, Sheet 1, orjprpjeetionsr, Figs.-`

6 and 9, Sheet 2. In the first case, where the /grooves are employed, an oval bead l), Figsif,

1, 8, 4, and 4, Sheet l, is mounted upoii ,a In Fig.. 3, Sheet 1, this stem is shown as a fixture at its base, the upper portion beingeapable of elastic movement. The bead D lies between two stops d. Thus when the stem first begins to move it carries the bead 2o D opposite to a. sliding cup-headed water-tight spring-pressed piston E, Fig. 3, Sheet l., or a sliding spring-pressed piston E', covered with a water-tightdiapl1ragm,Fig. L,.Sheet l, unt-il it is eheckcd'by the top stop d. The bead being there arrested intermittently moves away from the piston-rod C each time that the ridges between the grooves on t-he Said rod force their way past the said bead. Equivalently, instead of the bead sliding on 3o the stem d between two collars, the bead may be fixed on the stem (l, of which the lower part may be mounted on a sliding cross-head d?, so that the first lift' of the piston causes the said bead, rod, and cross-head to -rise with it until checked by the bolt-heads d, Fig. 4,

Sheet 1. In consequence of this arrangement of the said bead I) and stem (l, on the return of the piston the bead l) slides down with the rod C, clear'ot the spring-pressed piston EE.

4o During, however, the. ascending stroke of the piston-rod C the intermittent oscillation of the bead D, when infront of the spring-pressed piston E or E orspring-knob E2, Fig. 1.,Shectl, causes a similar reciprocating movement to be thereby conununicated to the said piston or knob, the spring e in Figs. 3 and 4,'Sheet 1, which forms one pole of the internal current through the case, producing the required recoil, and (Fig. 4, Sheet l) the knob E2 is The reeipro' eating movement produced is sutiicient to cause the spring e to touch the extremity of the other opposite spring e, which can be adjusted by the set-screw e2 in Figs. 3 and 4,

Sheet 1,the said spring being the other insulated pole of the internal current, the body of the chamber S being composed of insulating material. In Fig. -L, Sheet 1, the watertight chamber protecting the said contacts is 6o formed by an. elastic tube R, closely bound at either end to metal plugs, one of which is insulated from ythe case S for attachment to thev insulated internal wire II. The elastic tube R is protected by an external metal ease i S. In Figs. 6, 8, and 9, Sheet 2, a mechanically-equivalent device is shown. rlhe projections c', provided on the rod C, strike an oscillating lever e", which by a communicatesan upward movement to another lever,

e4, pressing against a sliding piston or dia-l phragm Eivwhieh said piston or diaphragm, being in electrical contact with the ease,

forms one pole of the internal current. The opposite insulated pole of the internal eurl rent e is brought into contact v with the. inner end of the sliding piston, orthe inner face of v the diaphragm E3, when pressed home Tthe .lever-movement e4. The outer eud `sthe lower lever e* is jointed-and 'spring-pressed,

.so that on the downward travel of the notched sleeve. f, which serves to lock the bayonet-- joint F in place, as shown.V To release this bayonet-joint, the cap f is lifted unt-il it is clear of the locking-pin j". turned toward 'the right until the bayonetpin F comes under thel vertical slot above it and the locking-pin j" comes under the slot alongside it. '.l `he sliding sleeve f is then pressed down, the locking-pin f sliding u p the groove above it,'aud the bayonetf pin F also sliding up the groove above it until the sleeve is pressed so far down as to free the bayonet-pin F. The external cap F can'then also be turned to the right'and lifted clear, asin an ordinary bayonet-joint. Tit-hin the cap F is a cent-ral cone G, through which one wire.from the cable is carried in an insulated manner, while the other wire or wires from the cable are laid along the outside of the vsaid cone and make contact with the case through the eapF. wire g is continued through a projecting pisvton y of insulating material, and finally to a split metallic piston y?, by which electrical contact can be made through the metal lining y in a cylinder ot insulating material g4 to the internal wire Il, and thence to the contact- .box S. To prevent access of moisture to this internal contact-plunger g2, a cup-leather gf is fitted to the plunger above it, bywhich the moisture is prevented from entering the lower part of the cylinder in which it is working.

The sand-gripper is construct-ed as follows:`

The gripping-arms K are in the form of a cup and petals with the concave side toward the sounder and the petals projecting outward beyond the sounder. A sliding weight k is fittedabove the grippers, so as to slide down by its natural weight and close the concave mouth of the gripper. This weight is continued by a cage k', Fig. 1, Sheet 1,.or a further weight and spindle k', Fig. 7, Sheet 2, so Vthat 'lhe cap is then roo IIO

'lhe aforesaid insulated this projection first strikes the ground as the sounder reaches the bottom. The upper sliding weight k is thereby lifted from the concave mouth of the sand-gripper, and as it is -found in practice that the sounder falls upon its side and is so dragged for a short while the projecting petals thus scrape up a portion ofthe bot-tom of the sea, and upon lifting the sounder from the bottom the weight falls only to close the mouth of the gripper, and thus to securely retain its contents. The above described submerged portion of the sounder is attached by a light wire rope to a reel L, Fig. 10, Sheet 3, for convenient loweringr out and winding up on board ship.

` The cable is constructed as follows: ln the center of the cable is the insulated wire or wires ll, Fig. 11, Sheet 3, which are lcd through the cap of the submerged portion of the sounder to the aforesaid insulated pole within the submerged portion of the sounder. Surrounding this Wire is an insulating-coverin g of gutta-percha and tape h h', and these are again covered with two coatings of wire h2 h3, wo und in opposite directions to prevent as far as possible any twisting of t-he cable. The cable is wound upon the metallic drum L, the returncurrent from the submerged portion of the instrument beirg from the case through the terior metallic winding h3, and thus to the insulated metal of the drum L; thence through the frame l to the wire L', one journal of the said drum being fitted in `the usual gun-metal bearing. The other journal of the drum is providedwith an insulated sheath Z', and that again is covered with a metal bush P, these being secured to the shaft and revolving with theshaftin the metal frame Z3. The insulated current to the interior of the submerged portion of the sounder passes from a battery or other generator N through L2, thence through the insulated standard l3 to the metal revolving bush Z2, thence by insulated-Wire attachment Il, passing through the body or cheek of the drum L to the center of the cable, and thence to the interior of the submerged portion of the sounder. The current, when the circuit is closed in the submerged portion of the instrument, may then pass through the wires L L2 and through aregistering-dial and battery, as fully described in connection with our prior application,or through the registering device and battery, as illustrated in Figs. 1212213, and 14, Sheet 3, and 15, 16, and 17, Sheet 4. This device consists of an electromagnet M, shownin detail, Fig. 14, Sheet 3,and

16, Sheett) the batteries NN being necessarily included in the circuit. As the current is intermittently made and broken in the -submerged portion of the sounder as it descends, each closing of the circuit will operate the electro-magnets M. These, attracting a springheld armature m, register the successive de-` grees of descent of the submerged portion of the sounder, and thus indicate the depth of descent. This may be effected in either of two equivalent ways. In Figs. 12 and 14,

Sheet 3, the reciprocating armature m'is provided with an arm m', terminating in a pin or broad point, which will feed the registering-card O, on which a scale has been prepared, through successive distances proportionate vto the scale for depth. A fixed re- -verse )oint m2 under or over the card revents the registering-card from traveling backward on the return-throw of the armature. In order to permanently mark the depth at any required moment or position, the hand-punch, Fig. 12, Sheet 8, is used to punch the registering-card. Equivalently, in Figs. 15 and 16, Sheet 4, the armature m is made to operate an ink-punch 'm3, which, dcscending on the registering card or tape O', makes a series of ink-dots at sealed intervals, with a double dot at every ten, as shown in plan, Fig. 17, Sheet 4, the registering-card being fed forward either by clock-work I or by an electro-magnet device and feed-pin, as

already described in relation to Figs. l2 and 14,-Sheet 3. lf clock-work I be used, it is checked by a lever j, which is disengaged by the finger p', attached to the reciproca-ting armature m, so that the commencement of the travel of the registering-card O is caused by the lifting of the check-lever p by the first downward movement of the armature 'n'. In this ease the paper may be conveniently fed from a drum Q, andthe check-recess p2 in the escapement-wheel of the clock-work is so placed with regard to the circumference of the escapement-wheel p3 that before the recess 132 comes round again and thc clock-work is checked sufficient paper is run off in order to take any ordinary soundings. Should, however, the feed of the paper be excessive before the soundings are finished,the continued movement of the armature F will immediately again release the clock-,work and allow the travel of the paper to cont-inne.

Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inventionand in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we claim is- 1. In a registering deep-sea sounder, the submerged portion having a spring-pressed piston in communication with the sea and moved by hydrostatic pressure and an electrical make-and-break device contained in a special sealed or water-tight chamber operated by 'the upward movement of the serrated rod of said piston against an elastically-snpported sliding bead opposite to said electrical contacts, the said beadjalling out of position on return strokc, in combination with an upper portion provided with electrical registering mechanism fitted with an electro-magnet making a registering-puisation for every make and break in the current from the submerged port-ion of the sounder, and with elec-A IOC.

IIO

deep-sea sounder, the combination of a springpressed piston moved by hydrostatic pressure and an electrical make-and-break device consisting of an indented or serratedstem of the said piston, producing on the upward stroke intermittent pressure through an-elasticallysupported sliding bead upon spring electrical grooved` at. suitable intervals, with a bead supported and sliding on an elastic rod and p rcssin g upon the said piston-rod, the upward movement of the piston raising the said bead to the highest position on the rod, and thus producing -intermittent pressure upon the electrical contacts within an adjoining sealed or water-tight chamber, the said bead falling out of operation on the return-stroke,-sub stantially as and for thel purposes described.

4. In the submerged portion of a registering deep-sea sounder, the combination of a cap to whiclrthe connecting-wires are attached, the cap being secured to the case by a locking bayonet-joint, and an internal 4projecting plunger making electrical contact with the continued internal insulated wire, the said plunger being surrounded by a eupleather working in a chamber of insulating material to prevent contact of the sea-water with the said insulated internal current, substantially as hereinbefore specified.

5. In a-registering deep-sea sounder, the combination of a submerged port-ion having a spring pressed piston 'moved by hydrostatic pressure operating an electrical makeand-break device, awinch provided with one specially-insulated bearing conducting an insulated current, and wi res connecting said submerged portionvand said winch with electrical registering mechanism, so as to maintain complete circuit between the said sounder and battery and registering mechanism while the connecting-wireis being unrolled from the said winch, substantially as hereinbefore specified.

6. In the upper portion of a registering deep-sea sounder, an electrical registering mechanism comprising a sliding card provided with a suitable scale whereon the register of depth is maintained by it being fed uniformly forward by an electro-magnet and driving-pin operated by the said intermittent current from the submerged portion of the tance traveled by thesaid slidingeard. 7. In a registering vdeep-sea sounder, the combination of the spring-pressed piston in communication lwith the sea'and moved by hydrostatic pressure, serrations carried by said piston, and an electrical make-and-break device contained in a closed chamber and having one of its contacts operated by said Serrat-ions as the piston moves under the pressure of the sea, substantially as set forth. In testimony whereof we have signed our `names to this specification inl the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALFRED J. COOPER. E. E. WIGZELL. lVitncsses:

R. A. HOFFMANN, EDWARD C. HAMMOND.

ssv

` sounder, and a punch which regulates the dis- 

